I am fairly sure that the first oReilly python book had several chapters devoted to COM and excel/word. I know I wrote articles on it, got a job based on scripting PowerPoint.
Almost every dynamic scripting language I can think of has COM automation ( or whatever it is called these days)
using IronPython to access COM components seems another unnecessary layer. And in my experience what is useful is calling from excel to python and then using vba to manipulate it. (VBA inside excel is fine. Might I suggest that if you are Reading this and thinking "great, anoter way I can program exclusively in Pythin everywhere" you have fallen victim to the yet to be named syndrome and should forcibly use any other language. I still get relapses
using IronPython to access COM components seems another unnecessary layer. And in my experience what is useful is calling from excel to python and then using vba to manipulate it. (VBA inside excel is fine. Might I suggest that if you are Reading this and thinking "great, anoter way I can program exclusively in Pythin everywhere" you have fallen victim to the yet to be named syndrome and should forcibly use any other language. I still get relapses